


The House on Sentinel Hill

by Tinnean



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-10
Updated: 2013-08-10
Packaged: 2017-12-22 23:25:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/919262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tinnean/pseuds/Tinnean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rumor has it the house on Sentinel Hill is haunted. Jim Ellison, a Sentinel without a Guide, doesn’t believe what he’s heard, but even if it’s true, he doesn’t care. He just needs a place that’s quiet so he can come to terms with his suddenly out-of-control senses. How is he going to react when he learns that while the house isn’t haunted, something else is living there? And it has no intention of moving out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The House on Sentinel Hill

**Author's Note:**

> Acknowledgment: To Patt and Lisa for wanting another Sentinel story by me—thank you, ladies.  Thanks also to Tracy and Gail for the beta.

# The House on Sentinel Hill

The house on Sentinel Hill had been there almost as long as I had. We were both waiting for my Sentinel, my _chapak_ , to arrive.

Sentinel Hill was surrounded by forest, very different from the rainforest where I was raised. Cutting its way through the trees was a small river that in season became a raging torrent. Everyone, even the two-legs, knew to be wary of it.

Two-legs built the house, but since it had stood empty for some time, it became mine. 

Eventually two-legs moved into it, but they never stayed very long. They thought it was haunted, but actually, it was just me.

I'd always known my _chapak_ would be male, and I wanted him so badly. I missed my family, but I'd known from the day I left our home in the rainforest that he would become my new family. It just seemed it was going to take some time before I found him.

At one point I thought the youngling of one of the earlier families who'd moved in might be the one, since he'd been aware of me in more than a peripheral sense, but when I tried to use mind speak with him, he shied away, and I came to the conclusion he wasn't my chapak. 

And then his family moved away.

Although a youngling would be easier to train, an adult would be easier to work with. 

Take the male who I would go to in the blue-green forest of his dreams... he would have been ideal. He welcomed me in those dreams, but once they faded, so did his memory of me.

So I had no choice but to wait, and so time passed by.

**

I was prowling along the riverbank when I heard the sound of a four-wheel approaching. No two-legs had been in the vicinity for some time. 

I bounded up the Hill in time to see a female emerge from the four-wheel. It was a sleek red vehicle, and my eyes narrowed as the sun's rays bounced off it. 

I could tell from the female's scent that she was in heat, not that that interested me. What did rouse my interest was the male who exited from the other side of the vehicle. 

There was something about him.... I raised my head and scented the air, and I found myself growing excited. Could he be the one?

The female glanced at him, and the odor of pheromones rose, indicating she wanted to mate with this male. 

Her emotions were understandable. He had broad shoulders and strong arms and legs; he would make a good mate, one who would provide for his she and their cubs. 

But not for this female.

She climbed the stairs, a seductive sway to her hips. She'd no doubt bear many healthy cubs.

But not for this male.

She unlocked the front door, and gestured for him to enter.

"Isn't this lovely, Jim?" Her voice was husky with desire. "It's a two story Cape Cod, with four bedrooms and three full bathrooms, and a porch. As you can see, the roof has been blown out in the back, but the dormers are still in the front, which gives it lots of charm. The public area is on this level: kitchen, dining room, living room, and a bathroom."

"Why a full bath on the first floor?"

"I'm so glad you asked! There's a guest bedroom just off the stairs!"

"I don't plan on having guests."

"Oh. Er... in that case, you can use it for storage.

"That might work."

"Notice the fireplace, Jim? It's gas, but it will also burn wood."

"Handy."

"Oh, yes! Now, the laundry facility is in the walkout basement-" 

"What's that?"

"You saw how the house is situated on this hill. Part of the basement is above ground, and you can enter it from the outside."

"Hmm. Can I access it through the main house?"

"I'm afraid not, but you could always have an interior doorway and staircase constructed."

"Something to consider."

"Yes, indeed! Now, as I was saying, the central air unit, the hot water heater, and your heating system are all down there as well."

"I want to take a look."

"Of course. It's just this way." She led him to a door just before the kitchen, reached inside for the light switch, and gestured for him to go down first.

I'd seen it before, and I made myself comfortable at the top of the stairs.

It wasn't too long before they trooped back up to the main floor.

"It's clean," 'Jim' said.

"You shouldn't be surprised. The owners were very meticulous in the upkeep of this house."

"Yes, but I mean there was no moldy, musty odor. Usually basements are pretty bad."

"Well, I understand their little girl had allergies, and so they were on top of that."

"Good parents."

"Oh, yes! Now, on the second level we have the master suite with a lovely eastern exposure, and two additional bedrooms. And of course all the furnishings are included."

"Hmm." Jim tipped his head back, and if he was one of my people, I'd have said he was scenting the air. He turned to the female. "It smells of... cat." 

I grunted. First of all, none of the two-legs who'd ever lived in this house, for however short a time, had ever complained about the scent before. 

And for another thing-I. Did. Not. Smell!

And then I realized what he had said, and I called out to him. _**Chapak**_!

He paused and rubbed the back of his skull, then glanced around the room, a puzzled expression on his face. But instead of communicating with me, he shook his head. 

I sighed. Why was this so difficult?

"That's odd," the female was saying. "To my knowledge, the owners didn't have any pets. As I said, their daughter had a problem with allergies." She sniffed delicately. "I don't smell anything."

"I don't know how you can miss it, although it's actually pretty nice."

"How can cats smell nice?" She wrinkled her nose, and I was tempted to take a swipe at her.

"This is..." He smiled. "It's warm and reminds me of the rainforest."

"Rainforest? That's... odd."

Jim shrugged, and I sighed. He could scent me, but he couldn't _hear_ me.

"It's not the sharp ammonia smell?" she asked.

"You're thinking of litter boxes, and no."

"Well, if you say so."

"Tell me more about the house, Ms. Barnes."

"Please, call me Alexis."

"Alexis."

"There, that wasn't too hard, was it?"

"You were going to tell me more about the house?"

"Yes, of course. I hope you're not a pet person."

"Why?"

"For some reason dogs don't like it here."

Actually, it wasn't that they didn't like the house. They just weren't comfortable here. It wasn't like I was going to eat them or anything. They just knew that I could if I wanted to. And then the howling and whining got on their owners' nerves. 

"I'm more a cat person."

Ah! A two-leg after my own heart!

"Really? In that case, there's something I should mention. A number of cat bodies were found near the river."

That wasn't me! And it wasn't going to be happening again. Damned troublemakers from the town! I let my jaws part in a grin. They wouldn't be harming anything in the area any more.

"Speaking of the town-"

Wait, what? My heart rate speeded up. But then I gave a chuff of laughter. Oh, I'd probably just missed something.

"If I buy this place, it's because I want privacy. Am I going to have a problem with neighbors?"

"Oh, no. There are no neighbors within a four-mile radius, and the nearest town is seven miles away. There will be a little inconvenience shopping."

"I've got the pickup. I can stock up once a month, or whenever. So what's the story with the owners? This is a nice-looking place, and they seem to have the allergy problem under control."

"Frankly, they would like to un-" She cleared her throat. "That is, they had to relocate, and since they can't afford to carry two mortgages, they need to sell as soon as possible. I'm sure they'll be more than willing to work with you on any issues, odor or otherwise. Although I was certain they didn't have any pets...." She looked uncomfortable. "However, I have to inform you that legend has it this house is haunted."

"Is that why it's going for such a reasonable price?" 

"Yes, and that's to your advantage!"

"I guess." He shrugged. "God knows I've got nightmares enough. A ghost or two isn't going to disturb my sleep."

"That's wonderful!"

"What happened to cause those rumors to start? Was there a massacre here? A murder/suicide?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that, I assure you. Just..." She sighed. Yeah, this was the part that got to all the real estate agents. "Shadows where there shouldn't have been any. Sounds in the night-" 

"What kind of sounds?"

"Footsteps on the stairs or on the floor above when there was only one person in the house. The feeling of being brushed up against."

Okay, yes, that was me. As a spirit guide, I could walk through the house without making a sound, and I could move through it without touching anyone, but the two-legs had no right to be here, and if that encouraged them to leave....

My jaws parted in another grin.

"Of course you have to take into consideration the location. Some people just aren't comfortable living this far from town."

He looked around and said in a hard voice, "I'm not likely to be scared off by things going bump in the night. I used to be a Ranger." 

I came alert. Was he challenging me?

"Oh!" She fanned a hand over her face. Yes, a male who could protect his tribe was a male worth mating with. But he was busy looking up into the fireplace and didn't notice her playful action. "Texas?"

"No," he replied absently. "Army."

"I just love a man in uniform!"

"Hmm? Does this thing work?"

"Oh... I believe so, but the home inspector can give you more information about that." 

"Sounds like a good idea. And I think I'd have the inspector check for birds or squirrels in the attic-" 

As if I'd allow anything of that nature to invade my home!

"-although I doubt that's likely."

Thank you.

He gave her a wry grin. "Just please don't tell me the family had a priest come to perform an exorcism."

"No, of course not. There was no need... Oh, you're teasing!" She touched his shoulder and upped the wattage on her smile when he glanced at her. "Well, as I said, they need to relocate. Mrs. Plummer was offered a position in her company's East Coast office, and it's just too good to turn down."

"Hmm." 

"Now tell me, what do you think of this location?" she asked, standing very close to him. "It's not too isolated for you, is it?"

"I like it." He didn't say the words, but I could tell that he needed that isolation. "It's going to take some remodeling to get it fixed the way I want, but I've got the time." Under his breath he muttered, "I've got nothing but time."

Poor two-leg.

"I'm pleased to hear you're thinking of the future. Tell me, is there anything you'd change in the house?"

"I don't particularly like the layout of the master bedroom and the additional bedrooms on the second floor. I mean, there's small, and then there's **small**. I'd probably turn the entire floor into one massive bedroom. A loft, so-to-speak."

"Really? But that would take away one of the salient selling points. And what about your family?"

"What about them?"

"Well, where will they stay?"

"In their own home. We're estranged."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

He shrugged again. "It happens."

"Well, you'll need rooms for your children," she said.

"I don't have any."

"But surely someday-"

"No. Not ever."

"I'm sure your wife will have something to say about that."

"I'm not married."

That got her ears perked. "Not now, perhaps, but I'm sure one day you'll meet someone who'll change your mind. And then you'll have those children, but no rooms for them."

"They can find their own rooms. Frankly, I'm not worried about selling this place. If I buy it, they'll have to carry me out feet first." He stepped away from her, and it was obvious, to me at any rate, that he wasn't drawn to her scent. "I'm not going to worry about that."

"Let's not talk about anything as morbid as dying. You're in the prime of your life!"

He made a noncommittal sound. "You said something about storage on this floor?"

She crossed the floor and threw open a pair of French doors. "It is actually a spare room. It doesn't have a closet, so technically it isn't a bedroom, but it could be used for guests, if you ever change your mind about them. The previous owners did use it as storage."

He walked into the room. It was small, right off the stairs. "Looks like a good idea."

"Tell me about yourself, Jim." There was something in the female's voice that indicated hungry desire, but the male apparently didn't hear it. But then, of course, he wouldn't. "I understand you were in the police department." She encroached on his personal space, and that didn't please me. It felt as if my fur was being stroked the wrong way. "Officer Ellison." She smiled up at him.

"Detective," he corrected. "I was a detective in Major Crimes."

"In Cascade, correct? You were wounded in the line of duty."

"Yes. How did you know?" 

"Oh, it was in all the newspapers, how you took that bullet but still managed to obstruct that hostage situation."

Something about that disturbed him. He walked away from her again, but she didn't take the hint, and went to stand next to him.

"That was such an exciting incident! Who would have thought international terrorists would turn up in Cascade?"

"They were gun-runners, but yes," he said hollowly. "Who'd have thought?"

"But you were so brave. Jim.... No one is expecting me back at the office." She ran her fingers up over his arms and spread her palms wide across his chest. "There's a lovely view from the upstairs master. Why don't we go up and enjoy it?"

I growled, and she shrieked and threw herself into Jim's arms. "What was that?"

Jim looked into my eyes, and I went still, waiting for his reaction. The two-legs might feel my presence, but only my _chapak_ would actually _see_ me. 

"I didn't hear anything." Of course he hadn't. I wrinkled my muzzle at him, but he didn't notice. He was too busy unwrapping the female's arms from around his neck.

My growl deepened. I could understand her desire for this male, but why couldn't she understand that he wasn't interested?

"Why don't we go back to your office?" Jim suggested. He took her arms from around his neck. "I'd like to make an offer."

She shivered and rubbed her arms. "I never really believed... Yes, let's go. At the risk of losing this sale, I have to say I **don't** like this place! It really creeps me out!"

I followed as they went out of the house and crossed the verandah. Just as they were getting into the female's vehicle, Jim paused and turned his head. "I do like it," he whispered, "and I **will** be back." 

**

He was back, and the house belonged to him. 

He walked through it, his pleasure in ownership evident. Well, no matter what he thought, it was mine also, and I had no intention of permitting him to evict me.

"Yeah, this is what I wanted." He looked at the time piece on his wrist. "Where'd the time go? Looks like I'll be spending the night here." His hands on his hips, he gave the room a hard stare.

Did he expect me to challenge him? I turned my back to him and began grooming a hind leg. 

When I heard him leaving, though, I peeked over my shoulder. He walked to where his pickup was parked in the drive, opened the passenger door, and pulled some items from it. With them slung over his shoulder, he returned to the house. 

He came back in with a sleeping bag. He had no food though.

I went out and caught a rabbit for him, and laid it before the fireplace.

"What the... How did you get here, Thumper? And whoever caught you did a neat job of it."

Well, of course. I'd crushed its windpipe, not even giving it a moment to feel fear. Jim could clean it, and the meat would be fine for two-legs to eat.

He looked around the living room, then took the rabbit to the kitchen and pulled out a knife from a drawer. "Thank you."

_You're welcome._

He jerked, and just missed slicing his finger.

"I... uh... I don't suppose you could start a fire, could you? This would really taste good roasted." He chuckled to himself. "I'm losing it. This place isn't haunted."

And how did he explain the rabbit? Did he think it ran into the house and dashed its head against a wall?

I strolled back into the living room and nudged the switch on the wall that turned on the gas fireplace.

A few minutes later when he walked into the room, the sight of the flames dancing on the hearth brought him to an abrupt halt.

"Well, fuck me!" 

No, thank you, I had to get some dinner for myself.

**

I paced in front of the house and watched as five two-legs-three black males, a white male, and a female-helped Jim Ellison unload the pickup truck parked in the drive. 

"You're lucky you bought this pretty much furnished. There was just enough room in your pickup for your clothes, tchotchkes-"

"Hey, hey, hey! My television is not a tchotchke!"

"Yeah, well what about this other stuff?" 

"They're **not** tchotchkes! These are mementoes of my time in the Army."

"Right, hotshot." One of the black males held up a shrunken head, and I bared my teeth and hissed at it. The Shuar took the heads of their enemies, but the Chopec that I grew up near always looked down on that practice. "And what about when you were on the force?"

"Sorry, Simon. I'm trying to forget those days."

"Those last days were really difficult for you, and I'm sorry for that, Jim." He patted Jim on the shoulder, not noticing the shudder he gave. "Joel, give me a hand with the television."

"I love that big screen TV!" the short black man muttered. "Jim must have bankrupted himself for that."

"But I get a great image of the Jags games."

"What? How'd you hear me? I-"

"Never mind, H." 

I could see Jim was upset. If he were my chapak, I could have comforted him. At least until we found his Guide.

"You still gonna invite us out?"

"Sure. You're my friends, aren't you?"

I approached one of the females who carried a small table. She brought it into the house and set it down by the door.

"Do you like this here, Jim?" 

"Yeah." But his smile was sad. "Just like home."

"You need to get a roommate-Oh!" 

I'd nipped her ass- of course she didn't realize I was behind her-but instead of running away screaming, she grinned over her shoulder at the white male who was carrying a duffel bag over his shoulder.

"It's about time you made a move, Rafe," she said.

"Huh?"

"Fair dinkum, mate."

"Huh?"

"Jim, Rafe and I are going to pick up some pizzas. Do you want anything special on yours?"

"Anything but anchovies, Megan." 

"We'll be back in a couple of hours." She waggled her eyebrows, caught Rafe's arm, and dragged him down to her four-wheel. He must have finally understood what she was doing, because he was grinning.

I sighed and went down to the river for a swim.

**

Although Jim's friends had assured him they wouldn't be strangers-an odd phrasing, since they were his friends-they'd probably gotten caught up in their own lives. Time passed without a visit from any of them. 

For a number of days he did very little about the house, just went from room to room. I almost expected to see a cloud of despair hovering above his head, but it turned out that he was simply studying the layout of the house. The next week he began to tear down walls.

And that seemed to make him happy.

**

Jim was stripped to the waist, sweat streaking his chest and cheeks and sawdust in his hair. He stretched and arched his back.

"It's been a long day," he murmured to himself. "A break sounds like a good idea." He'd remodeled the second floor as he'd said, turning it into a loft containing one master bedroom and bathroom.

I watched him through slitted eyes, but didn't make a sound. He often spoke aloud. At first I'd responded to him, but he never appeared to hear my mind speak; eventually I grew tired of talking to the thin air. 

"Yeah, a break sounds good." He went into the kitchen, reached for a bottle of water from the fridge, and twisted off the cap. As he drank, his throat muscles rippled. 

After he finished the water, he put the bottle down, then stretched and arched his back again. He sniffed his underarm. "And I think maybe a shower." 

I rolled onto my back and ignored him until I heard his footsteps going up the stairs. Only then did I follow him, and I made myself comfortable in the doorway of the bathroom. 

He stripped off his tool belt and jeans. High on his upper back was a ridged scar. On his chest was another, larger scar, and this must have been why he was no longer a detective. It was a warrior's mark, but he seemed almost ashamed of it. He never looked at it in the mirror.

The muscles of his back flowed down to his hindquarters. He was too pale to really interest me, but if he'd been one of mine I'd have gladly mounted him. 

He stepped into the shower and turned on the water. 

I didn't mind water, having swum across some streams and even a river or two on my journey here to this place, but if it rained as long as the water poured down on him, I'd have been on the search for a shelter. 

He touched himself while he was in the shower, his hand closing around his cock and stroking it. 

I knew what he was doing-pleasuring himself. Occasionally I would lick the sheath that housed my own cock until it slid out, pink and moist, a flavor that I enjoyed.

There was a deep groan, and I got to my feet, my attention drawn back to Jim. I was ready to pull him from the shower if he collapsed. He'd done that once before, when the pleasure became too intense and overwhelmed him. But this time nothing happened.

The flow of water stopped, and he came out of the shower and began drying off.

"It's not the same. After what happened in Cascade I didn't think I'd ever miss people, but I do. I miss Simon and Joel and Henri. Simon and his wife are back together, Megan and Rafe are a couple now, and even Joel and Henri are sharing an apartment. Cascade seems to have become a hotbed for terrorists, and they're too busy to come for a visit." Once his friends had finished helping him move in, once they'd gorged themselves on the pizza Megan and Rafe had brought back, they'd left, and as I'd noted, they'd never returned. Nor had he gone back to Cascade to see them. "I'm lonely."

I could understand that. It had been a long time since I'd seen my own kind.

"Or maybe I just need to get laid."

Ah. I could tell from his scent that he wanted to mate.

"And I'm tired of eating my own cooking. I'm going into town. I'm going to have a decent meal, and I'm going to find a warm body and bring him back to spend the night with me."

That hit me like a cold downpour. I'd grown used to his company. I'd hoped that he was growing used to mine....

I turned and walked away, my tail whipping back and forth. He could do whatever the fuck he wanted.

**

I lay across the doorway. Where was he?

I'd always been fine on my own. This was why I had been chosen to be a spirit guide.

But now... The sun had gone down and even the moon was starting to wane. When was he coming home?

And when he did, would he have a mate with him?

**

I heard the sound of his truck door banging shut, and I crouched down and sniffed the air, my tail once again lashing back and forth restlessly, ready to frighten away whoever it was who might be with him.

And then I straightened. He was alone.

He walked in, slammed the door behind him, and tossed his keys onto the table near the door. 

"Well, that was a waste of time. You'd think those idiots would know better than to douse themselves with aftershave." He looked straight at me. "I had to spend the night in the emergency room. I'll be damned if I know what happened, but one minute I was going in to kiss this guy, and the next I was coming to in the ER. What the fuck is wrong with me?"

My ears pricked up. The scent had overpowered him? This couldn't have been the first time this had happened to him!

"That's what got me out of Cascade PD. I was a good cop, a good detective, but something happened, and I... I must have zoned or something. I'll be damned if I can even remember what... all of a sudden my focus was shot to shit. That was how the bastard managed to sneak up behind me and get the drop on me." He touched the spot on his chest where the scar of the exit wound was. 

I'd heard him cry out in his sleep, and more than once I'd managed to slip into his dreams and banish the evil doer.

He was my _chapak_! I knew who he was... why didn't he know who I was?

I could no longer wait for him to buy a ticket to the clue bus, as I'd heard some two-legs phrase it.

I went to him and nudged his hand with my head, for the first time allowing him to touch me. 

"What-" 

The connection was made! Why hadn't I been told touch was necessary?

_I am Enqueri. I am your spirit guide._

"My spirit guide?" 

_Yes. It's about time you realized you're a Sentinel, a **chapak**._

"Oh, God, I'm losing my mind!" 

_You're not._

"But...." 

_This is what you are. This is what I am. Accept it._

He sighed and ran his fingers through the fur on my skull. "Your fur is soft." 

Of course I was pleased he found it so, but I needed him aware. _Don't zone on the sensation._

That made him laugh, although it wasn't for long. He sighed again. "What am I going to do, Enqueri?" 

_We, **chapak**. We're going to find you a Guide._

** 

Summer passed, turning the grass on the hill sere. Autumn came, and the leaves on the trees changed their color. 

Jim finished work on the house, and often we would explore the surrounding area. Poachers no longer came to our forest, because Jim would seem to coalesce out of the mist, terrifying them out of what few wits they had. 

The legend of the house on Sentinel Hill grew even more, because on those rare occasions when Jim went into town, he kept to himself and didn't speak to anyone. As a result, everyone who knew of the house and its legend came to believe he was in collusion with the being who dwelled within-me. 

Which was nonsense. 

Halloween had always been bad. Children of the two-legs would dare each other to run up the hill and throw rocks to break a window. 

They'd run back down, shrieking at their friends, " _ **Run**_! We've seen the monster!" 

Which was just as insulting as being called the 'being'. I was a spirit guide, and it wasn't my fault if they couldn't see that. 

Most of the time I could stop the rocks before they did any damage. If I couldn't, I'd chase the ones who threw them to the road that led to town. 

That first year with my _chapak_ was even worse. I'd thought with someone living in the house, the two-legs would avoid it. But word of the man who lived there had spread, and even more of the little beasts came to torment him. 

"It's easy for you to grin, you _cat_! You've got a fur coat!" Jim scowled. "I'm the one who has to freeze his nuts off until this window gets repaired." 

_So build a fire in the hearth._

The next day we went into town, Jim to get panes of glass, and me to enjoy the fun. Of course no one could see me as I followed him. His sense of smell enabled him to tell which of the two-legs had been on our hill the night before. He tracked down each one and warned them that the next time they broke one of his windows, he'd sic me on them. 

I let my growl vibrate enough for even them to sense it, and more than one soiled himself. 

And so our reputation grew. 

**

As the seasons passed, I continued to Search for Jim's Guide, with no luck. 

I'd told Jim that when we found his Guide, he would have to bond with him or her. 

"Well, what does that entail?" 

_Didn't you pay attention to Incacha?_

"Who?" 

I sighed. For some reason he'd banished all memory of his time in Peru. 

_You'll have sex the first time you bond._

"With a woman?" 

_If she's your Guide. Or it could be a man. Once the bond is formed, you won't have to have sex with your Guide again. It helps to ground you both, but if your Guide isn't the gender you prefer, if he-_

Jim jumped on that. "My Guide could be a man?" 

_Yes._

"Enqueri, my Guide **has** to be a man!" 

_Your Guide will be who he will be._

"That's the second time you've used the male pronoun. What do you know that you aren't telling me?" 

_Yes, your Guide will be a man, but that doesn't mean he'll be a lover of men._

"Aren't you a ray of sunshine? Oh, God! I can't go without sex for the rest of my life!" 

_Don't worry. If for any reason your Guide is a woman or a man who prefers women, you may take the mate of your choice._

I didn't tell him that I hoped it wouldn't come to that. It wouldn't be easy to find someone with the ability to accept a third person in their relationship. 

Well, I'd observed that on the rainy days when Jim had sat in front of the television his friend H had envied, and we'd watched _All the Days of My Restless Youth_. It never turned out well. 

**

Jim didn't need me around him all the time, and when he did need me, there was the mental thread that connected us that would call me back to him. 

I had started with the local towns, and then fanned out to those further afield. I knew he preferred to bed men-we'd had that conversation more than once-and while when it came to a Guide, gender was immaterial, it would be easier on all of us if Jim's was a male who wasn't straight. 

Something drew me to Rainier University, to a small room down in the lowest level. The scent was alluring, but the Guide it belonged to wasn't there. 

Finally, I left the building, to find in the meanwhile it had begun to rain. I decided to return to the house on Sentinel Hill. 

I wasn't happy. The wind blew the rain sideways, driving it into my eyes. My fur was plastered to my skull, and I flattened my ears as rain dripped off them. 

Jim opened the door for me, although it wasn't strictly necessary. 

"No luck, huh?" 

I glared at him and snarled, and he took a towel and began drying me off. Again, not strictly necessary, but it was... nice. 

"Are you sure there's a Guide out there for me?" 

_Of course I'm sure!_ It was my job to find my _chapak's_ guide. 

"All right, don't get your tail in a twist." 

I wrinkled my muzzle at him, and then gave a massive shudder, sending whatever rain he hadn't dried off onto him. 

"Hey!" 

_Annoy the spirit guide, and that's what you get._

He growled, a decent imitation of me, and I gave a feline laugh. 

It was a bad night. The rain kept pouring down. Lightning lit up the rooms of the first floor of the house, followed a few seconds later by the crash of thunder. 

Abruptly the power went out. "It's a good thing I've got lanterns for backup. I'll need to go down to the basement to start the generator though. Want to come with me?" 

_No. You can do this on your own._ I dragged my tongue over my coat, casually grooming myself. 

"Thanks for nothing." 

_You're welcome._

It took him some time, and I wondered if I should have gone down to help him, but what could I have done? After all, I had paws, not hands. 

Eventually the lights came back on, and he came up the stairs, muttering under his breath. 

_You see? You did that all by yourself._

"Pain in the-" His head shot up and his eyes narrowed. 

My ears flickered as I heard the same thing beneath the rain and the thunder. 

"Someone's out there! We've got to help!" 

_Are you Lassie, going to rescue someone who's fallen in the well?_ I sat there with my tail curled around my hocks. I'd just gotten back in from the rain, thank you very much. 

He took his slicker from the mudroom off the kitchen. 

"Are you coming?" 

I turned my head and yawned. 

"Okay, fine. Some spirit guide you are!" He growled at me again, and I wrinkled my muzzle at him in return. However, he ignored my action and rushed out the door. 

Did he really think I'd let him face whatever was out there without me? I rose to my feet, shook myself off once more, and followed him out into the rain. 

**

There was a road that ran along the edge of the river, which right now raged and tumbled along its banks, more dangerous than I'd ever seen it. A flash of lightning revealed a spot where the dirt and grass had been torn up. Tire tracks led down. 

"Not good, Enqueri. Something's gone over the edge here!" he shouted above the howl of the storm, and he began working his way down toward the river. 

"G-g-goddamned p-piece of shit c-car!" The voice was very faint, but both Jim and I could hear it. "G-goddamn r-road!" 

"There!" Jim pointed toward a body that was clinging to a rock that would soon be under water. "Hellooo!" 

"Help!" 

"Hang on, we're coming!" Jim dove into the river. 

_What did he mean, **We're** coming?_ I grimaced and splashed in after him. Why did I have to wind up with such a reckless _chapak_? 

"Grab his collar, Enqueri!" 

What was Jim thinking? If I did that, this idiot two-leg would wind up face down in the water, and then he'd drown. I caught the two-leg and managed to flip him onto his back. 

_Where **was** Jim? Had the tug of the river dragged him away from me? If that was the case, I'd let the two-let go and rescue my _chapak_. _

But no, there he was, almost pulling my tail off. I gripped the two-leg's shirt and my nose touched his neck. For a second I froze, almost letting both of us sink. He was a Guide, I could tell from just that touch! 

Almost giddy, I began swimming toward the nearest bank. 

_I laugh at you, river! Ha! Ha!_

"This isn't the time, Enqueri!" 

Jim only said that because he knew I couldn't snarl at him. If I did, I'd lose my grip on the two-leg. I tugged my tail free of his hold and smacked him in the face with it. 

The two-leg's arm came around my neck. Well, at least he didn't try to fight me and drown us all. He began to kick out with his legs, helping to keep himself afloat. 

From somewhere in the night I could hear a wolf howl. I recognized the sound: he was a _yanusa_ , another spirit guide. 

_Yeah, well, get your doggie ass down here and give me a hand!_

The only response I got to that was a sense of confusion. Wonderful. A spirit guide who had no idea what he was. 

Finally I managed to get the three of us to the bank, but the river had eaten away at it, and each time I tried to sink my claws into it, chunks of mud fell away. 

Growling above my head caught my attention. Apparently the wolf had chosen now to pay attention. 

He stretched his head forward and latched onto the two-leg's collar. _I've got him!_

I released my hold and the wolf began pulling him up onto the bank. 

Jim clambered over my body and hurled himself onto the bank as well, pushing the two-leg further out of danger. 

On the other hand, I was still in the river, treading water. _A little help here?_

"Sorry, Enqueri." Jim grabbed the ruff of my neck and hauled me out of the river. 

"Who... who are you talking to?" 

_Ah. The two-leg speaks._ I collapsed onto the bank, panting. Even spirit guides could get out of breath. 

"Shut up." 

"Geez, man, no need to get hostile!" 

"I wasn't talking to-How are you feeling?" 

"Like I swallowed most of the river." 

_It's very wet out here._

"You're right." 

I shouldn't have had to be the one to point that out. 

"Let me give you a hand, Chief." Jim hoisted the two-leg over his shoulder and struggled to get them both to the house. 

The wolf began growling. 

"Zip it, Rin Tin Tin!" Jim snapped over his shoulder, and to my surprise, the wolf gave a small 'yip' and shut up. "Enqueri, go on ahead and turn on the shower." 

_Don't you think he's wet enough?_

"Not funny." 

I heaved myself to my feet and started to trot ahead of Jim and the two-leg, then glanced back when I realized the wolf hadn't joined me. He looked miserable. His fur was plastered to his body and his head was down low. 

_Come along,_ yanasu. _No need for you to be drenched when it's warm and dry in the house._

** 

Jim would probably want to use his shower on the upper level, but would he want to carry the two-leg up the stairs? 

I paused just inside the house and shook as much rain and river water as I could from my fur, and then went to the bathroom that was off the kitchen. It didn't have a lever like the upstairs shower did, but I managed to fit my jaws around the knob and twist. I wound up leaving spirit guide saliva over it, but I didn't think Jim would care. 

Toward the front of the house there was a massive crash. Oops. Jim must have slipped in the river water I'd shaken from my fur. 

I didn't think he was going to be in a good mood. Should I make myself scarce? 

"Enqueri!" 

_Here!_

He came into the bathroom, muttering about wayward spirit guides. 

_I didn't think you'd be so idiotic as to carry him upstairs!_

"Well, I didn't." He continued muttering while he stripped off the two-leg's clothes and got him under the water. 

"Ow! Hot, hot, hot!" The two-leg backed away from the water, and Jim reached in to adjust the water temperature. 

"Pain in the ass," he muttered. 

"I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't mean...." 

"Not you, Chief." 

_If you haven't noticed, I don't have opposable thumbs to do what you just did._

"Huh. Which was why the upstairs shower would have been better." 

"Um... who are you talking to?" 

"I was just talking to myself." 

"Okay. Y'know something, big guy? You just saved my life. I can cut you some slack for talking to yourself. What am I saying? I can cut you a ton of slack!" 

"Thanks, Chief. I'm... uh.... Will you be okay here for a while?" 

"Yeah. I'll be fine." But he slumped against the tile wall. 

_The_ yanusa _will watch over him._

"Who? Oh, the wolf." 

The two-leg stared at Jim, wide-eyed. "W-wolf? You see a wolf?" 

"Look, I'm just gonna go find some warm clothes for you, and I'll be right back." 

"I'll... I'll be right here." 

Jim gave him a last look, and then left the room. I stared at the two-leg. There was something about him... I inhaled, but all I could scent was rain water from the Guide's clothes, shower water as it streamed out from the spray, and the _yanusa_. 

_Make sure he doesn't drown._

The wolf grunted and lay down. His coat was still wet. I could spare a few minutes to help him dry off. 

_I am Atuk._

_Enqueri._ I ran my tongue over his muzzle and ears, and he closed his eyes, enjoying it. His fur was thick and silky, and he must have long since lost his shaggy winter coat, because no loose hairs stuck to my tongue. 

It would be nice to have a friend who would keep me company once Jim finally found his Guide, but this yanusa wouldn't be here to stay. 

I sighed and followed after Jim. He was at the fireplace. He much preferred a wood fire to gas, since the odor of gas bothered his sense of smell. Kindling had been laid in the hearth, and while he poked at it, he didn't light it. 

_Were you waiting for me?_

"What took you so long?" 

I wanted to make sure the yanusa _was comfortable._

"I've never seen you put yourself out for anyone. Except me," he hastened to add. 

That wasn't even worthy of a response, but I gave him one anyway. _You should know that spirit guides look out for each other._

"Do they? I don't remember Incacha teaching me anything about that." 

_I thought you didn't remember anything Incacha taught you._

"Pain in the ass!" 

And I knew I had won this round. 

"Let's get those clothes before he turns into a prune." 

_Your clothes will be too big for him._ I paced up the stairs beside him. 

"They're dry, that's the important thing. In the morning I'll see if I can find his car and get his things." 

_And if you can't? It's probably all the way downriver by now._

"Oh, that won't be a problem. I'll just drive into town and get something that fits him He's... he's cute, isn't he?" 

_If you like drowned rats._ Chapak, _you can't keep him!_

"He probably won't want to stay here once he knows you live here too. Ouch!" 

I'd swiped at his ass with my claws. Normally he wouldn't have felt such an action from me, but this time I wanted him to be aware of my aggravation. 

Chapak, _how am I to find you a Guide if you let yourself become distracted by every two-leg with a pretty face?_ Especially one who was a Guide, but not **his** Guide. It was going to break his heart. 

_Chapaks_ had been known to die of a broken heart if they couldn't find their Guide. And if my _chapak_ died, then I would cease to exist also. 

"Well, it's been more than a year, and you haven't found anyone yet. And how could you tell if he's pretty or not?" 

_Spirit guides can do things like that._

"They can?" He crossed to a dresser that he'd built into the wall himself and took out a sweatshirt from his Cascade PD days and a pair of sweatpants. "That's interesting to know." 

_You're not paying attention to what I'm telling you._

"You're absolutely right." 

_What don't you understand about 'you can't keep him?'_

Jim didn't pay attention to that either. "Socks. He'll need socks too. To keep his little paddies warm." He sent a teasing look my way. 

He knew I didn't like my paws getting cold, and I often slept with them curled up against my body. I growled at him. _That is not amusing!_

"Sorry." He rummaged in a draw and pulled out a pair of white socks before finally turning to face me. "Look, Enqueri, He might not want to stay forever, but maybe he'll want to stay for a while." 

_He is not to sleep in the loft with you._

"No." He sighed. I could see he was taken with the two-leg. "He can sleep in the room under the stairs." 

_Very well,_ I conceded grudgingly. _Give the two-leg the clothes. And turn up the heat. You'll both need to be warm._

Jim's head shot up and his eyes narrowed. "Fuck a duck!" 

I didn't know why he'd want to do that, but before I could ask him, he dropped the clothes he'd selected and raced down to the lower level. 

And then I heard it too. The two-leg was in distress. 

Why had Jim heard him before me? 

I gathered up the clothes and trotted down the stairs and into the bathroom on the first floor. 

Jim hadn't bothered to remove his clothes; he'd just climbed into the shower. 

"I'm sorry. I thought I could get out, but the hot water was so enervating, and... I can barely stand on my own feet," the two-leg murmured, his eyes closed. "Thank you." He gave a tired sigh and leaned back. 

"You're welcome, Chief." Jim reached around him and shut off the water. "Come on. Let's get you out of here." 

"I should have introduced myself sooner. I'm Blair Sandburg." 

"Jim Ellison." Jim caught up a towel and began to rub him down with brisk strokes. 

"Thanks. I don't know why I'm so cold." 

"You almost drowned. I think part of it's shock. As soon as I get you dry and dressed, I'll make some coffee." 

"With a shot of brandy?" 

"Alcohol won't warm you." 

"I hate being cold." 

"I'll warm you." Jim began to strip off his clothes. 

_Chapak!_ Before I could warn Jim about skin touching skin, they were plastered together. 

Jim's eyes were wide pools of blue, and he stared into my eyes, stunned. 

Oh. _Oh!_

Blair Sandburg... He was Jim's Guide! And the gray wolf... he wouldn't be leaving! 

I lay down and watched them. The _yanusa_ approached me, his head low. _Join me,_ I told him. _We're going to be together for a long time._

He lay down beside me, dropped his head to his paws, and sighed. _We have been searching for your_ chapak _for a very long time._

_And we have been searching_ -I raised my head and sniffed the air. Now that Blair was dry, I could capture his scent. Abruptly I was on my feet. I recognized that scent! 

_You... you were at Rainier University!_

_Yes. Blair is working on his dissertation for his doctorate._

_I don't understand anything you said after_ Blair is working on his... 

The wolf gave a huff of laughter. 

_I never thought Jim's Guide would come to us._

Jim reached out to pull free the strip of leather that tied back his Guide's hair and waves of reddish-brown tumbled around Blair's shoulders. 

"Oh, I like that," the Guide murmured as Jim wound his fingers through his hair. He turned his head toward Jim's, and I knew in a second they would be kissing. 

_Ah hem?_

"Go away." 

Blair jerked away from him. "Yes, of course. I'm sorry. I'll just-" 

"Not you, Blair!" 

"I don't understand." 

Jim took Blair's face between his palms and turned his head. "Tell me what you see." 

"A... a jaguar. And a gray wolf. I know the wolf is my spirit guide, but...." 

"The jaguar is mine. He can be a pain in the ass, but-" 

_Don't talk about me as if I'm not here!_

Blair's eyes widened. "I can hear him!" 

_He's your Sentinel._

"I've always been able to hear Atuk, but..." 

_Now you will hear me as well._

"I know, but... before we bond-" 

_Too late for that._

"Excuse me?" 

"I told you he was a big mouth, didn't I? Ignore him," Jim said. "That's what works for me." 

I wrinkled my muzzle at him, but he just wound his arms around Blair and nuzzled his hair. 

_He's your Guide, you know._ I made sure Blair couldn't hear me. There would come a time when he'd be able to circumvent that, but now wasn't that time. 

"I know." 

"Jim." Blair turned in Jim's arms. I could see his cock, and it was growing hard. Was that because they were about to bond, or because Blair was attracted to Jim? "There's something I have to tell you." 

"All right." 

"I'm... I'm gay." 

"Good." Jim's tone was teasing, but beneath it I could sense relief and pleasure. "That makes it so much easier." 

"You don't mind?" 

"So am I, so no, I don't mind at all." It was as if they were enveloped in a blue-green cloud. "Enqueri, why don't you take the _yanusa_ and go looking for Blair's car." 

I didn't remind Jim that Blair wasn't supposed to sleep in his bed. Blair was his Guide. And it looked as if Jim wouldn't have him anywhere else. 

** 

The rain had finally stopped, and the clouds drifted across the sky, first hiding the moon and then letting it peek out. 

I padded down to the river. Already it was starting to subside, and it was about two feet lower than it had been just an hour ago. I paced along the bank and found the car about half a mile downstream, where it had flipped over and smashed against rocks. The windows were broken, and whatever had been in the car would have been washed away even further downstream. 

Atuk came to stand beside me. _It doesn't matter._

_No, it doesn't._

The Guide would be staying with us. 

_Let's return to the house, and you can tell me about Blair Sandburg._

** 

We entered the house. Flames were burning brightly in the fireplace. Jim must have lit it before he and Blair went upstairs. I used my nose to flip the switch that turned on the flames. Determinedly, I shut out the sounds drifting down from the master bedroom. 

_Blair is an anthropology student,_ the wolf said. _We've been all over the world, you know. Fiji, the Amazon Basin, Sumatra, New Guinea._

_I come from the rainforests of Peru. Jim Ellison was stranded there at the Chopec pass for eighteen months when he was in the army._

_We've lived among the Kombai tree people of Irian Jaya and the Mombatu tribe in Kenya._ He rested his head on his paws and looked into my eyes. 

_I lived here, and Jim lived in Cascade. He was a Sentinel without a Guide. Where were you then?_ I was starting to lose my temper. 

_Looking for him._

_Well, you were looking in the wrong places!_

_We found him now! And why didn't you look for Blair?_

_I've been Searching since I learned Jim was my_ chapak! 

_Oh, yeah?_ He got to his feet, his ears flattened and his teeth bared. 

_Yeah!_ I matched his stance, and added a snarl for good measure. 

"Hey, hey, guys! Take it easy!" Sandburg came down the stairs. He was dressed in Jim's clothes-he looked surprisingly good in them-and he went to Atuk, bending to rub the fur between the _yanusa's_ ears. "Jim's asleep. We don't want to wake him, do we?" 

I turned my back on him, sat on my haunches, and began grooming a hind leg. 

I knew when he approached me, but I ignored him. 

And then I felt his palm smoothing back the fur between my ears. 

"Thank you, Enqueri." 

_For what?_

"For saving my life for one. For taking care of Jim, for another. I've been looking for him for a long time." 

_So the_ yanusa _says._

_My name is Atuk!_

We both ignored him. 

"It's the truth," Blair said softly. 

_I'm aware of that. Spirit guides don't lie._ So why had I lost my temper? It was foolish and not something a spirit guide would do. 

He tugged on my ear, and I found it... not irritating. 

"I learned everything I could about him in the archives. Finally I tracked him down to Cascade and discovered he was a detective in Major Crimes. I enrolled in Rainier University in hopes I'd be able to cross paths with him." 

_I caught your scent there._

"You... you found me?" 

_Not quite. What made you come here?_

"After that hostage situation, the trail went cold, and it was as if he vanished in the wind. No one would talk about him; he has very loyal friends, you know." 

_You didn't answer my question._

"I know someone who knows how to hack into the real estate website. I gave him a pair of my sneakers, kind of a bribe-he has a weakness for Nikes, and he was able to learn that Jim had moved to the southern part of the state, to the house on Sentinel Hill." 

_And so you came out here to find him. Why?_

"Because I'm a Guide. I had to find him. I nearly died trying to find him!" 

_How did that happen? That road is safe, even in the worst rains._

"Something happened to my brakes. They felt really mushy, and then they gave out." He gave a lopsided grin. "It really is a piece of shit car." 

_Was._

"Excuse me?" 

_It was very battered. I don't think you'll be able to drive it again._

"Well, that won't really matter." His smile was shy but happy. "I've found what I'm looking for." 

_How long will you stay?_

"Forever. Jim's my Sentinel; I'm his Guide. I hope you and Atuk will be able to get along, because he and I won't be going anywhere, Enqueri." 

_Atuk, what do you have to say?_

The wolf met my eyes. _Where Blair is, there am I._

_Very well._ I nodded at Blair. _Go join your Sentinel, Guide._

I knew I wouldn't have to threaten him with death and dismemberment if he hurt Jim; that was the last thing he would do. As Blair said, he was Jim's Guide. 

** 

I'd always wondered what it would be like once we found Jim's Guide and he moved in with us. Would Jim value him more than me? Would his Guide resent me for being there for Jim when he couldn't? 

As it turned out, I didn't have to worry about either of those things. Blair Sandburg fit into our household surprisingly well, as did his _yanusa_ , and there was love enough to go around for all of us. 

And you know something, two-legs? We all lived happily ever after-in the house on Sentinel Hill. 

~End~ 


End file.
